Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James missed his first game on Sunday due to a thoracic muscle strain, but he’s reportedly going to play on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote that James is also dealing with “a nagging groin issue” and that the Lakers are listing him as day to day. Then, he shared that, despite these injuries, “a source close to James told ESPN he expected the star to be in the lineup.”
This should not surprise anyone. James isn’t one of those NBA stars who enjoys the regular “load management” day off here and there. He’s more the kind of guy who doesn’t want to come off the court for a single second.
On top of that, the Lakers have suddenly lost three straight games after opening the season with a 24-3 record. So, you know James is going to show up for this huge prime-time game on Christmas Day.
The 34-year-old superstar is enjoying another fantastic season, averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game.